Attachment for typewriters



April 11, 1939. Y w vo s 2,154,058

ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWREETER 5 Filed Sept. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Frederic 1$ W W??? ATTORN EYS April 11, 1939. F. w VOLLANS ,0

ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Sept. 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 Fig.3.

INVENTOR F412 Aerick W Veiled LS QW,M.M

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 11, 1939 FFECE ATTACHNIENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Frederick W. Vollans, Orillia, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Frank F. Barber, Toronto, Ontario,

Canada Application September 9, 1936, Serial No. 99,970

9 Claims.

This invention relates to means for simultaneously producing a plurality of copies upon a typewriter.

The invention involves generally means for sup- 1 porting a strip of carbon paper or the like in position between the sheet upon which the original type impression is made and the sheet upon which a carbon copy is desired. The support is designed to accommodate and position any number of superposed carbon strips so that any desired number of carbon copies may be simultaneously produced.

.The present invention is an improvement of my prior application Serial No. 712,592, filed February 23, 1934, now Letters Patent No. 2,064,328, granted December 15, 1936. In the prior application referred to, I have provided means for supporting a strip of carbon paper in such manner that its position with respect to the platen and type faces is automatically intermittently altered so that the wear on the carbon strip may be distributed across its surface to increase its useful life.

The present invention comprehends, first, im-

25 proved means for positioning the device upon a typewriter and for attaching it thereto and, second, an improved means for and. mode of shifting the position of the strip so that a still further increased uniformity of wear is attained with the 30 resultant lengthening of the life of the strip.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a typewriting machine with an embodiment of, the present invention in position thereupon.

35 Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a carbon strip with its supporting frame.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line III--III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional View of the present 40 invention taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention consists primarily of a relatively stationary portion, indicated generally at l0, and adapted to be attached to the upper framing portion 45 of a typewriter I2; and a relatively movable portion, indicated generally at l3, which carries the carbon strip referred to and which is movable to shift the carbon strip from an operative posi-- tion to an inoperative position clear of the platen,

50 ribbon, etc, where it will not interfere with normal operation of the typewriting machine.

The stationary portion It! comprises an element M which follows the upper back framing portion of the typewriting machine and, extend- 55 ing forwardly from the extremities thereof, side elements l5 which, when the device is applied to a typewriting machine, follow and rest upon the upper side framing portions of the machine.

Upstanding ears l6 are provided at each end of the element M which rotatably support a rock 5 shaft ll having a pair of forwardly extending arms l 8 and I9 affixed thereto as by the set screws 20. Each of the arms l8 and i9 terminates at its forward extremity in a vertical plate portion 2| having a notch 22 in its forward edge. A retaining clip 23 is pivotally secured toeach of the arms l8 and I9 by a pin 22 and is resiliently held in such position that an upwardly extending arm 25 thereof normally extends across the notch 22. The upward extension 25 is curved in a direction away from the plate portion and the upper front part of the plate portion 22 is rounded off.

It will be seen that the arms [8 and I9, together with their plate portions 2| may be swung from their forwardly extending position toan upwardly and rearwardly extending position indicated fragmentarily in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The arms are stopped in this position by engagement of the heads of the set screws 20 with the upper surface of the element I4.

The plate portion 2| of the pivotal arms l8 and I9, together with the retaining clips 23, are provided for the retention and support of a frame element which carries a carbon strip. This element is shown in detail in Fig. 2 and comprises an inverted U-shaped plate member 26. The depending portions 21 and 28 of the member 26 are notched as at 29 to retain the ends of a strip of carbon paper or the like, 39.. The frame element possesses a certain amount of inherent resiliency and the carbon strip 39 is provided with looped end portions which are fitted over the depending portions 27 and 28 by flexing these portions toward each other.

A pair of ears 3| and 32 extend horizontally 40 outwardly from the depending portions 21 and 28 of the member 26 and the width of the mem-- ber 26 is such that the ears 3! and 32 register with the plate portions 2| and their associated retaining clips 23. It will now be clear that by moving the member 26 from a position above the plate portions 2| and retaining clips 23 the ears 3| and 32 may be forced between the plate portions 21 and the retaining clips 23 against the resistance of the resilient means associated with the retaining clips 23 until the ears 3| and 32 drop into the notches 22 of the plate portions 2|. Removal of the frame 26 is effected by grasping the frame and moving it forwardly to pivot the retaining clips 23 away from the plate portions 2|, then upwardly, until it is clear of itssupporting structure."

An upwardly projecting pin 33 is secured in I one of the forwardly extending portions l5 of the relatively stationary portion ll) of the device and supports means for progressively altering the position of the carbon strip 30 with respect to the type faces of the typewriter when they are in printing position so that, while the limits of movement of the strip are such that some part of the carbon strip will always lie between the platen and the type face when the type face is in printing position, the wear upon the carbon strip will be uniformly distributed over its surface.

The strip shifting means includes a block 34 fixed to a transversely extending portion 35 of the arm l8 and having a forwardly extending pin portion 36. Referring now to Fig. 3, the upward- 1y projecting pin 33 rotatably supports a collar 31 having an upwardly extending reduced portion 38 which has fixed thereto a ratchet wheel 39.

A second ratchet wheel 4|] is positioned above the ratchet wheel 39 and is secured to the pin 33 against rotation. A cylindrical cam 4| is positioned above the collar 3'! concentrically with respect to the pin 33, and about the ratchet wheels 39 and 40. Pawls 42 and 43 are housed in apertures 44 and 45 provided in the cam 4| and by means of springs 46 and 41, are held in resilient engagement with the ratchet wheels 39 and 40 respectively.

The construction of the teeth of the ratchet wheels 39 and 40 and their pawls 4'! and 43 is such that, as viewed from above, clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheels with respect to the cam 4| is permitted and counter-clockwise rotation with respect to the cam 4| is prevented.

A forwardly and downwardly extending arm 48 is formed upon the collar 31 and, together with a clip 49 which is secured thereto, forms a yoke which is adapted to straddle the linespacing lever 58 of the typewriter.

As a result of the foregoing construction whenever a line of typewriting is completed and the line spacing lever is manipulated, the yoke, and consequently the collar 31, is given a reciprocating movement consisting of, as viewed from above, a partial counter-clockwise rotation and an equal clockwise rotation.

In its first or counter-clockwise movement the collar 31, through the medium of the lower ratchet wheel 39, which is fixed thereto and the pawl 42 carries the cam 4| with it, since the ratchet mechanism prevents the cam M from moving clockwise with respect to the ratchet wheel 39. During this movement the upper ratchet 49, which is stationary at all times, and its pawl 43, permit counter-clockwise rotation of the cam 4| with respect thereto.

On the return or clockwise reciprocation of the collar 31 the stationary ratchet 40 and its pawl 43 prevent an accompanying clockwise reciprocation of the cam 4|. The ratchet 39, however, being fixed tothe collar 36, does move clockwise.

It will therefore be seen that during the movement of the line spacing lever 50 from left to right, as viewed in Fig. 1, the cam 4| is rotated counter-clockwise, while on the return stroke of the line spacing lever, from right to left, no rotation of the cam 4| takes place. The cam 4|, therefore, has a step-by-step counterclockwise movement caused by and in proportion to, the several actuations of the line spacing 7 Way about the cylinder; then back to its starting point during the remaining half way about the cylinder. It will therefore appear that when the cylinder is given one complete rotation about its axis, the pin 36 which rests in the groove 5| will be moved by the walls thereof, first downwardly, then upwardly to its starting point. This vertical reciprocation is transmitted to the movable portion |3 of the device and results in an oscillatory movement thereof about its axis, the rock shaft The carbon strip 30 accompanies the movable portion |3 in its vertical movement and its width is such that, when in its lowermost position, the type faces will strike its uppermost portion, and vice versa. In this way each new line of typewriting will employ a different portion of the vertical extent of the surface of the carbon strip 36 until the entire surface has been uniformly employed, at which time the cycle of vertical movement of the strip will be automatically repeated, until such time as the strip is no longer fit for use.

Itis to be understood that various changes in the construction illustrated may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An attachment for typewriters having a platen, a carriage therefor and means for rotating said platen, said attachment having a unitary frame member attachable to the upper surface of said carriage and having a portion extending transversely across said carriage at the rear thereof, a transfer strip extending transversely of the typewriter, movable mounting means for said transfer strip, means for pivotally connecting said movable mounting means to said frame member, and means movably mounted upon said frame member and operably engageable with said movable mounting means to cause pivotal movement of the latter with respect to the frame member to alter the position of said transfer strip.

2. In combination with a typewriting machine having a carriage, a platen associated therewith, and a line space lever adapted to be pivotally reciprocated; an attachment including a transfer strip normally suspended adjacent the platen, means for supporting said transfer strip for movement about an axis extending transversely of said typewriting machine and in a direction which lies in a plane disposed at right angles to the axis of the typewriter platen, a rotatable cam member engaging said supporting means for im parting movement thereto, said cam member being mounted for movement about an axis parallel to the axis of movement of said line space lever, and means engageable between said line space lever and said cam member whereby movement of the former is accompanied by rotary movement of the latter.

3. An attachment for typewriters having a platen, a carriage therefor and means for rotating said platen, said attachment having a frame member having a portion extending transversely Ii U of the typewriter adjacent the rear thereof and a forwardly extending portion for attachment to the upper surface of said carriage, a transfer strip extending transversely of the typewriter, pivotal supporting means for said transfer strip, means for pivotally attaching said supporting means to said frame member, and means carried by the forwardly extending portions of said frame member and engageable with said pivotal sup-- porting means to cause pivotal movement of the latter with respect to the frame member to alter the position of said transfer strip.

4. An attachment for typewriters having a platen, a carriage therefor, and means for rotating said platen, said attachment having a frame member having a portion extending transversely of the typewriter and portions extending substantially at right angles to said transversely extending portion adjacent its extremities for attachment to the upper surface of said carriage, a transfer strip extending transversely of the typewriter, movable mounting means therefor pivotally connected to the frame member, and actuating means carried by one of the right angular portions of said frame member and engageable between said movable mounting means and a portion of the typewriter whereby normal operation of the typewriter is automatically accompanied by movement of said movable mounting member to vary the position of the transfer strip.

5. An attachment for typewriters having a platen, a carriage therefor and means for rotating said platen, said attachment comprising means including a transfer strip and a movable mounting therefor consisting of forwardly extending pivoted arms extending laterally of said carriage and having recesses in their forward portions, said means being provided with projections adapted to be received by said recesses, and resilient means associated with said recesses to permit ready insertion and removal of said pro- .jections from said recesses.

6. In combination with a typwriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, a holder, a transfer strip carried thereby, brackets mounting the holder for movement in the carriage in directions lying in a vertical plane extending at right angles to the axis of the typewriter platen, a cam associated with said line space lever for raising and lowering said brackets and said transfer strip, a pair of ratchet wheels one of which is nonrotatable and the other of which is mounted for movement directly with said line space lever, and carried by said cam and engaging said ratchet wheels, said ratchets and pawls imparting a progressive step-by-step rotation tosaid cam.

'7. In combination with a typewriter carriage and the line space lever thereof, a holder, a transfer strip carried thereby, pivoted arms for movably supporting said holder and mechanism including a circular cam having an undulating peripheral groove for raising and lowering said arms and said holders, and means engageable by the line space lever for imparting movement to said cam upon actuation of the line space lever. 8. An attachment for typewriters having a platen, a carriage therefor, and means for rotating said platen, said attachment having means for attachment to the upper surface of said carriage, said means including frame portions extending from front to rear with respect to the typewriter and at opposite sides of the carriage thereof, a transfer strip extending transversely of the typewriter and adapted to be disposed adjacent the platen thereof, movable mounting means therefor pivotally connected to said attaching means, and actuating means carried by one of said frame portions and engageable between said movable mounting means and a portion of the typewriter whereby normal operation of the typewriter is automatically accompanied by movement of said movable mounting means to vary the position of the transfer strip.

9. An attachment for a typewriter having a carriage and a line space lever therefor, said attachment comprising a holder, a transfer strip carried thereby, pivoted arms for movably supporting said holder, mechanism including a circular cam having an undulating peripheral groove for raising and lowering said arms and said holders, and means engageable by the typewriter line space lever for imparting movement to said cam upon actuation of the line space lever.

FREDERICK W. VOLLANS.

7 CERTIFICATE OF CORREG'I'lON. Patent No. 245L05 April 11, 1959. FREDERICK w. VOLLANS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5 first column, line 50, claim 1 for the word "member" read means; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may. conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of May, A D. 1959.

Henry-Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents; 

